Unplanned success
by Mibamonster
Summary: 'Just you, me and all third years who don't know how to get to Hogsmeade. Sounds amazing.' JamesxLily


This was ridiculous, James decided, absolutely ridiculous. He was off age, Head Boy, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He'd faced McGonagall when braver souls than he would have run; he had helped his friends through good and bad times; he had no difficulty talking to girls. In fact, he liked it. So why was it so difficult to just walk up to Lily and tell her she looked nice today? Or, if that was too hard, just say 'hi'?

'Oi, Prongs!' Sirius waved his hand in front of James's face. 'Are you even listening?'

'Yeah,' said James. 'Of course. I've got time after Quidditch practice.'

Behind him, Peter chuckled. 'Methinks Prongs was somewhere else with his mind.'

'And I think that I know where that was.' Remus nodded towards a group of girls that were standing by one of the windows, chatting and laughing.

Sirius rolled his eyes and put an arm around James's shoulders, dragging him towards Lily and her friends. 'This has lasted long enough. It's about time you tried your luck with her again – who knows? Maybe she'll say "yes" this time. Nothing to lose.'

'Except my pride.'

'You've still got enough of that, don't worry.' Sirius winked at him and then turned to the girls. 'Hello, ladies. My dear friend Prongs would like to have a chat with Lily; want to watch and laugh at him?' Smirking, he let go of James.

Two of Lily's friends giggled, but Lily just looked curious. 'Yes, we still need to work out how we're going to do that for the Hogsmeade weekend, right?' Her red hair caught the light and flared up as she looked at her watch. 'I guess we could do that now before Potions?'

'Um, sure,' said James, clenching the handgrip of his bag. _You can have a talk with her. You do so all the time. Stop being so nervous._

'Yes. Why don't you two discuss the Hogsmeade weekend together and then Prongs: four o'clock, in front of the statue of Gunhilda, yes?' Already Sirius was walking back to Peter and Remus, though he was still turned to James. With his typical grin, he added, 'And Prongs? Behave yourself.'

'I won't do anything you wouldn't,' said James.

'That probably rules out exactly nothing,' Lily said as she rummaged through her bag and got out a diary and a quill.

'Lil, we're going for lunch. See you later,' said a girl from Hufflepuff. She cast a quick smile at James and then she and the other girls left, taking their excited twittering with them. James thought he heard his name once or twice and wondered how good they deemed his chances.

He reminded himself to look cool, so he put his sweaty hands inside the pockets of his robes. It was absurd that after all these years he still felt this nervous when talking to Lily. He could have a normal, civil conversation with her. He could. What was a good way to open a conversation like this? He could always talk about the classes they shared, or maybe ask what she wanted to do over Christ -

'How's Quidditch going?'

Her question caught him off guard and it took him a second too long to formulate his answer. 'It's going great. The team – it is good. I mean, they are very good.'

'Sophie says your practice schedules are hell,' she said, placing a bottle of ink on the windowsill. 'She said something about four practices a week?'

'We've almost got the first game. I want us to win.' He shrugged. _What if she thinks I'm a tyrant who tortures people through Quidditch practices? _

Lily made a face. 'I'm so glad I'm not in that team. Training in this weather…' She looked outside, where the November rain was pouring down. A couple of days ago they'd even had snow – he'd stopped the training early because he was worried people might freeze to their brooms.

'Well, for a real Quidditch fan, rain is a challenge to be conquered, and if we just stay strong and practice hard, it will pay off in the end.' He nodded solemnly and placed one hand over his heart.

Her lips turned up in a cheeky smile. 'Is that what you tell them when you force them to go outside?'

'Anything that might motivate them,' he admitted. 'You_ are_ coming to the match, right? Even if the weather is awful?'

'Of course. You don't think I'd miss your first match as a Captain?'

Something about the twinkle in her green eyes made James's belly feel like it was made of mush, but in a good way. In a way that made him confident enough to ask her out, had she not continued speaking before he could say anything.

'So, I was thinking, maybe it would be good if we offered the third years a chance to walk to the village with one of us? Just say that if they've got a signed form, they have to show up somewhere at ten, or something, so they can come with us?' She dipped her quill in the ink and held it over an empty page in the diary. 'Because I remember being really confused about where we had to go when we could go for the first time and then I had to ask directions of Filch…'

'Oh.' He winced. 'That can't have been pleasant.'

She shook her head slowly. 'I was _terrified._'

'Scarred for life?'

'Of course. I still have nightmares where instead of to Hogsmeade, he sends me to a clearing filled with dragons. Or spoons,' she added thoughtfully. 'You wouldn't say it, but seeing an entire field of tea spoons can be frightening in its own way.'

He blinked. 'I'm sure you're right.'

Looking up at him, she let out a giggle. 'Sorry. I'm talking to you about tea spoons. I can have interesting conversations, really. My life is about more than just cutlery.'

'No, no, I like tea spoons,' he said quickly. 'They don't get nearly enough appreciation. In real life _or _in dreams.'

They were both silent, and then he caught her eye and they laughed awkwardly.

'Um, anyway.' Lily shook her hair from her face and regained her composure, though her cheeks were redder than usual. 'I don't mind doing that and also checking their forms again. Because, now the date is set and stuff, we don't have to organize that much more, right?'

He stared at the empty piece of parchment. 'No. No, probably not.'

'Okay. Then I'll do that.' She closed her diary and after a slight hesitation, she put it in her bag. Brushing a lock behind her ear, she said, 'James? If you've already got plans, that's, um… I was just thinking, would you like to… walk with me and those third years? Keep me company before they drive me crazy? Maybe go for a butterbeer afterwards? My treat,' she added, when he didn't answer.

James could only gape at her, resisting the very strong urge to do a victory dance. _Going for a butterbeer with Lily. That would make it… _'Like a date, you mean?' _Stay cool. _

'Like a date,' she said. 'Or as friends, if that's more comfortable with you.'

_Like a date._

_Like. A. Date._

'YES!' He balled up his fists and threw them in the air, swaying his hips to the inner music of his happiness. Lily wanted to go on a date with him. He was going on a date with Lily. Oh yeah! Oh… _yeah_. It took him two seconds and three laughing first years to realize he looked like an idiot and he quickly dropped his arms. He cleared his throat. 'I mean, as a date would be good.'

Lily was biting her lip; he was pretty sure to keep from laughing at him. 'Okay then. A date it is.'

'Just you, me and all third years who don't know how to get to Hogsmeade. Sounds amazing.' Grinning, he ran a hand through his hair. When first his insides had felt like pulp, now they more resembled air. Or maybe it was light that was coursing through his veins, making him giddy and elated.

'Okay, um…' Lily slung her bag over her shoulder. 'I guess I'll put up a notice for them, then, and I'll... see you later?'

He nodded. 'Seeing you later would be really great.'

'Awesome. I'll see you in Potions class, then.' With those words, she walked away. James kept looking at her, until she rounded the corner; but before she did that, he caught sight of her clapping her hands and doing a pirouette that was more elegant than his dance, but not less happy.

He leaned against the stone wall, still wearing a grin he was sure would never leave his face. 'I knew I could do this.'

Now he just had to tell Sirius.

* * *

**A/N: unexpected Jily feels were unexpected! Haven't written them in ages (I think I put most of my Marauder energy in the ****_Companion_****) but here is a little one shot anyway!**


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